I watched airline, it always made me laugh at how stupid some of the people were. The crap the staff had to put up with while still smiling and being professional was amazing - i'd hate to have their job and respect them a whole lot more.

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Yes, I named myself after a neurotransmitter

Quote:It is likely that the person kicked off had done something more than merely having ANY alcohol to draw attention to themselves in order to be kicked off the flight.

My interpretation of Evil_Eve's comment was that people were being kicked or denied boarding simply for having the "smell" of alochol on their breath.

I would deduce that it is not likely they had done anything in addition to having a drink or two.

I recognized the hypocrisy of serving such drinks in the staging areas and even on the flights themselves, only to punish those whom choose to consume these drinks.

Correct.

Myself as well as other pilots (every now and then) enjoy watching this show and mocking it in the crew room as it plays on the big screen Television.

There is a running joke that ye best not be having a wee bit of drink before ye be boarding one of their flights as ye will be tossed out on ye' ear aye!

I have met some Southwest FA's on various shuttle busses throughout the Country. I have even been invited to go to an interview with SW.

NO way, no how.

I oft times wonder if they teach them these harsh tactics in Ground School or if there are just FA's out there who want to 'make the show' and invent 'problems with passengers'.

I had a friend (fellow FA) who would love to make a sport of going over to the E terminal in the Philadelphia International Airport just to 'view' the passengers AND employees of SW.

He invited me once and I was taken back at what I saw.

In the line for TSA to get to said terminal, I was being told to walk through the metal detector.

I started to walk when some big guy in African garb nearly KNOCKED ME DOWN like a feather to cut in front of me.

Fellow FA had words with said man and TSA pulled him aside.

THIS was My first experience with the 'ghetto terminal' as it is fondly referred to by many in Aviation.

Next I saw a woman with rollers in her hair yelling at the top of her voice at a man named 'Charles'.

"CHARLES, get yo ass over here and quit foolin' around!"

I was dumbfounded that this activity was allowed in an airport terminal.

I saw employees who were unkempt. Shirts wrinkled and half way tucked in. Hair in cork screws.

I thought to Myself.. self? This is where it is all heading. It's a downward spiral from here Sista friend.

Next?

Next I saw a woman who looked much like 'Barney' the Purple Dinosaur (she was dressed in a purple moo moo and had a lovely pair of flip flops on).

Hey, 29 to 49 dollars for a one way ticket to Florida cannot be beat. I will admit that!

I cannot gas up my vehicle for that cost and DRIVE to Florida.

Gotta give it to SW. They put the low in lowbrow with their cheap fuel contract (soon to expire).

It used to be a 'privelage' to fly the friendly sky's.

Not anymore.

Remember when one would 'dress up' to fly? It was SPECIAL!

Now?

Now an aircraft is nothing but a Grey Hound with wings. ANYONE and I do mean anyone can fly.

Those who pick their noses and toenails at home, now do it on the aircraft!

They bring 'thier' environment onto the aircraft.

They bring it into MY workplace.

You would NOT believe the things I have witnessed from 'ghetto' passengers.

I Myself cannot believe some of the things I have witnessed with My own two personal peepers.

JEEPERS CREEPERS.

Back to the show 'Airline':

I remember watching one particular episode where they threw an old lady off the plane who had had a couple drinks. She wasn't falling down drunk mind you and no, she was not belligerent in any way shape or form.

They 'smelled it'. Ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

So, in the end, they put her in a wheel chair (I do believe she had some type of hip surgery prior to this no go flight.) and had her wait in the terminal for the NEXT flight.

Sooooooooo your money is good here.. just not good here now?

Okay. If you say so.

In this job discretion is key. I pick My battles. No sense in stirring up someone over what is most likely nothing at all.

I Myself get 'feelings' about people and investigate before making hasty decisions.

I am reminded of a story I saw on CNN Headline News about a month or so ago.

We call it 'Freedom titty' in the airlines as it was a 'Freedom Airlines flight' that this occurred on.

The incident:

A woman was breast feeding her infant on board the aircraft.

Do I want to see this? Not really but hey, it's not illegal and I would do it in private. I would pick a place(such as in the lav) or underneath a blanket etc.

In any event as it were, a woman was feeding her child when an FA approached her and told her to put the titty away.

Husband of said woman became upset and said she had the legal right to whip out said titty to feed said infant.

Flight Attendant had couple and baby thrown off the aircraft.

She was later diciplined by her company.

Like I said, I pick My battles.

When I have drunken band members who are going to the lav every 20 minutes and grabbing another FA's arse while instructing Me to 'buckle their seat belts' while pointing to their crotch area and smiling?

When I have a loon telling Me that WE ARE TAKING HIM TO DETROIT NOW!!!!! at the top of his lungs in the gally?

When I have the above formentioned drunks apparently doing some type of narcotic in the lav?

Yes, I will rise to the occassion and have these lunatics arrested as My Passengers and crew could be in jeopardy.

If I see a little old lady who says hello to Me with Scotch on her breath who is not making a scene? No.

I have witnessed as such on this Television show.

I don't like to have people arrested.

Do you know what this means for Me and fellow crew members?

Possible diversion. It means PAPERWORK. It means filing various reports. It means possibly talking with the FAA and internal affairs.

It means being interviewed by several uniformed officers and being interviewed by our company.

It's a mess. I will only do so when My Passengers and crew are threatened.

On one of My flights not too very long ago (a month or two?) something like that, we had to have a couple of men arrested.

NOT FUN.

REALLY NOT FUN when the rest of their friends who were also on board (and did not get arrested) wind up at the same hotel that our crew was over-nighting in.

REALLY not fun when you are on a minimum rest overnight and spend a great deal of that rest period talking with the police and filing reports.

I am NOT that lady who will tell you for the umpteenth time to put your seat back up in it's full upright and locked posistion.

I will not repeatedly tell you to fasten your seat belt.

Ever hear of G force? I warned you and that is My only obligation. If you end up with a smashed skull it's your own fault and I won't feel sorry for you in any way shape or form.

Again, the word 'discretion' comes to mind.

I do have some wacky stories about hostile passengers and even CREW MEMBERS though that would keep you on the edge of your seat (including one that took place in Philadelphia) which involved an out and out beating to someone who deserved it right there in the E terminal.

You know, I've always had great respect for flight attendants. It's not a job that I would ever want to try to tackle myself. I just wouldn't have the patience.

It's got to be hard enough waiting tables on the ground. That takes a good memory, physical coordination, and a natural sense of social engineering. To be a flight attendant must take all the skills of a top-notch server, plus a whole bunch of other dimensions. For one, it's physically impossible for the patrons to leave until a pre-determined time. And a percentage of them are absolutely terrified to be there, and might panic and do who-knows-what. The floor occasionally bounces around like it's on a tilt-o-whirl, and you're expected to handle this with grace and aplomb. When you finally go off duty at the end of the day, you're lucky to have a hotel room near the airport, instead of your own home. Oh, and you're responsible for the guests' safety should anything go wrong. Plus probably a whole bunch of other aspects I've never even thought of because I've never known the job from the inside. And for all this, the people in the seats seem to think it's your fault that they don't have as much legroom as they'd like, or that it's raining in New York.

My hat is off to you, m'lady. Your job makes the technical-support trenches seem like a day at the beach. I don't fly very often, but when I do, I make damned sure I smile at the attendants and thank them for my Coke and pretzels.

Quote:You know, I've always had great respect for flight attendants. It's not a job that I would ever want to try to tackle myself. I just wouldn't have the patience.

It's got to be hard enough waiting tables on the ground. That takes a good memory, physical coordination, and a natural sense of social engineering. To be a flight attendant must take all the skills of a top-notch server, plus a whole bunch of other dimensions. For one, it's physically impossible for the patrons to leave until a pre-determined time. And a percentage of them are absolutely terrified to be there, and might panic and do who-knows-what. The floor occasionally bounces around like it's on a tilt-o-whirl, and you're expected to handle this with grace and aplomb. When you finally go off duty at the end of the day, you're lucky to have a hotel room near the airport, instead of your own home. Oh, and you're responsible for the guests' safety should anything go wrong. Plus probably a whole bunch of other aspects I've never even thought of because I've never known the job from the inside. And for all this, the people in the seats seem to think it's your fault that they don't have as much legroom as they'd like, or that it's raining in New York.

My hat is off to you, m'lady. Your job makes the technical-support trenches seem like a day at the beach. I don't fly very often, but when I do, I make damned sure I smile at the attendants and thank them for my Coke and pretzels.

-Chess

Thank you for the kind words.

It isn't Rocket Science but it is a bit more involved than most people would think. Mechanical failures? YOU SMILE knowing that you may be toast.

Trapped in a metal tube with a loon? SMILE! Because you know that others will panic.

This was the best one: A fire in flight with thick smoke. SMILE! You're on candid camera.

Oh no! Do NOT have a heart attack on me! Smile! You are in control.

I truly appreciate those passengers who DO in fact, smile. I always give them extra pretzels.